Boko Haram 3032 pardoned soldiers refuse to join terror fight
The soldiers said further that they were never officially pardoned but were instead just sent to the battle ground.
3032 soldiers who were pardoned for various offences by the Nigerian Army have refused to return to the North East to fight Boko Haram, reports say.
The
soldiers said further that they were never officially pardoned but were
instead just sent to the battle ground, Vanguard reports.
“Look
at me; I have put in about 28 years of my life serving this country. I
have seen action in Liberia; I have been to Rwanda, Sudan and even
served overseas and we the Nigerian troops did very well and were
decorated in some occasions,” one soldier told journalists.
“But,
our experience in fighting to save our motherland is too sad a story
for the outside world to know. We are not cowards. We held on for over
four months facing Boko Haram.
“I just
want to say that after the Army dismissed about 5,000 of us, 3032 of us
were pardoned last August. Since that time, the Army Authority has
treated us like prisoners of wars.
“We
were told to assemble in Jaji on August 17, which we did. Then on August
19, the General Officer Commander, GOC, of 1st Infantry Division, Maj.
Gen Adeniyi Oyebade gathered us and without prior noticed moved us to
Nigerian Army training Centre, NATRAC, Kontogora.
“Some
of us found ourselves there in bathroom slippers. We were just taken
straight to the place. Then, without any additional clothes or uniform,
we were subjected to what was clear punishment, not training for another
three weeks.
“Still in the clothes we
came, we were again relocated to 333 artillery Barracks, Njetilo,
Maiduguri. We got nothing but constant insults as cowards. We were there
without uniforms no arms. They just left us there and we were abused
and told to assemble at every two hours through these days for another
three weeks.
“In Jaji, we went through
another round of punishment, not training. Yet, we were not given any
letter to show that we are still serving soldiers. So when the
Commandant came and said we were going back to the North East, without
clearing our status, we felt we have been punished enough.” he added.
The soldiers were recalled after President Muhammadu Buhari appointed new service chiefs.
Many troops were disciplined by the previous military leadership for refusing to join the anti-terror fight after they complained of inadequate equipment.
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